VISUALJOURNALIST

Charles Apple is a longtime news artist, graphics reporter, designer, editor and blogger. The former Focus page editor of the Orange County Register and graphics director of the Virginian-Pilot and the Des Moines Register, he spent five years as an international consultant and instructor. Currently, he’s deputy design director for the Houston Chronicle. He spends way too much time online. Read more ...

Catch a wave and you’re sittin’ on top of the world

That first line of a classic Beach Boys song from 50 years ago comes to mind when I look at the front pages today of the newspapers for which I work.

There’s a hurricane — Marie — churning off the coast of Baja this week. It’s created some of the largest waves Southern California has seen in more than a decade.

In short: The surf was up.

Run it big and get the hell out of its way. You gotta love it.

That amazing picture was shot yesterday morning by staffer Jeff Gritchen at Outer Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, just on the other side of Long Beach.

The page was designed by my old friend Chris Soprych.

If you think that’s good, check out this stunning picture afront today’s Orange County Register:

Is that awesome, or what?

Those were surfers braving “the wedge,” a spot near a jetty in Newport Beach, where the waves kind of bounce back across each other, magnifying themselves. The picture is by Foster Snell. Scott Albert designed the page.